


Keeping the Balance

by SmashQueen (SmashQ)



Category: Luigi's Mansion (2001), Super Mario & Related Fandoms, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 09:37:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11056275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmashQ/pseuds/SmashQueen
Summary: Geno inspects a strange mansion in response to a series of desperate wishes, but his rescue mission doesn’t quite go as planned...





	Keeping the Balance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nintendonut1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nintendonut1/gifts).



> Originally posted on dA in 2013 as a birthday gift.

There wasn't much to occupy the wooden toy as it made its way through the overgrown foliage. The whisperings of wishes were replaced by the hooting of owls, peace was abandoned instead for the scritching and scratching of the creatures that lived in the woods, and the glittering lights of the stars were blocked out by the dense canopy. Long before this point, any sane person would have abandoned the hidden paths, creaking branches, and suspicious trees of the forest and opted to go home, perhaps even make some hot cocoa. But this was not the determination of a person, but rather a spirit. Not born of decay, he hailed from above, following the orders of a higher authority.  
  
And he never would have imagined that this would be the way he finally got to set foot on the surface of the world again: trekking through a haunted forest, alone with only a carrier bag strapped to his waist. His destination: a strange mansion in need of investigating, where a snag had been hit and no amount of subtle pushing from Star Road or the star spirits was going to move events forward.  
  
He could put up with the Boos and the howling winds. He could even stand being by himself with nobody else around to talk to on the way to his destination. At least, if current circumstances weren't so ominous. But the looming consequences of recent incidents were not so easily shelved.  
  
His thoughts began to drift once again, as they often did when there was nothing about his surroundings or immediate future to solidly concentrate on. Try as he might, he could not help but think back to the chain of events that had landed him into this predicament.  
  
Eight mornings ago, everyone had known that Bowser had kidnapped Peach - again - leaving the Mario Brothers to go on yet another chase through fantastic and terrifying lands. Unfortunately, nobody had seen a trace of the Koopa Clown Car exiting a particular forest, nor its occupants nor the brothers. It was assumed that they were trapped deep within, unable to find a way out. Search and rescue parties were sent in, but they either came back disoriented and confused as to how their compasses and routes failed or didn't come back at all.  
  
If current conditions were left unchecked, what would transpire in the following weeks would be a domino effect. Without the return of one of the brothers or the princess, the people of the Mushroom Kingdom would begin to wonder why the stars hadn't granted their wishes of allowing people to come back. Wonder would lead to withering hope, withering hope would lead to doubt, and doubt would lead into despair. After that it would only be a matter of time before mistrust took over the hearts of many and the star spirits would soon have no purpose.  
  
After all, what could they do when hope and wishes, their source of power, ran dry?  
  
It was a prospect that the higher authority never wanted to see through.  
  
And so he, an experienced walker of the land, had been chosen to personally fix what had gone wrong before too many dominoes began to fall.  
  
Thoughts buzzing, the star spirit almost didn't notice when the thick trees suddenly gave way to a cobblestone path. It led on past a rusted, broken fence, the gateway having long ago fallen from its hinges and entangled in weeds. Disquieting winds wrapped around him, hissing warnings, as he stood stock still. His eyes traveled up the short way to the towering estate ahead. Three stories of broken or cracked panes, flapping shutters, and chipped blue paint, topped off with two tall arches near the roof that brought to mind hate-filled eyes. He nodded to himself. This was where his search began.  
  
Geno ambled forward, eyes on the great double doors of the mansion. His feet met the stony road with a light _click-clock_ that was often muffled by the overgrowth of plants peeking through cracks in the path. There was an overwhelming feeling of wrongness about this place that Geno couldn't shake off. More so than any mortal could comprehend, the star warrior could feel the malice and mischievousness originating from inside. But he had a mission, and it demanded that he kept going.  
  
Not even halfway to the abode, the earth shook beneath his feet with the force and muffled _boom_ of an explosion. He stumbled, falling to his hands and knees as he tried shaking the ringing out of his ears. Gliding his eyes over the area, he at last spotted a wisp of black smoke making its way out of some bushes off to the side. Cautiously, Geno moved forward, trying to decide on how to take this phenomenon.  
  
To have a dark being scramble out of the bushes while only three feet away following a forceful _thump_ was not something the guardian could have prepared for. With all the grace and speed of a Spikey, the frantic being slammed into Geno sending the two tumbling to the ground. The two bashed their heads together, forcing the Guardian to clutch his own with both hands. It wasn't until the pain subsided that he caught wind of a voice. A small, old one that kept muttering on about calculations, ghosts, possession, and some incredibly long name he couldn't make out but sounded like it had to do with photos.  
  
"-ello? Are you hostile by any chance?"  
  
Shaking his head, Geno peered up and got his first look at his so-called assaulter. A short man covered head-to-toe in black and dark gray splotches stood before him. Spiral glasses sat on the man's nose, seemingly smeared with the same substance that coated the rest of him. In all, it seemed as if this person had been caught in a Bom-Omb explosion yet had come out unscathed.  
  
Geno had to stifle a chuckle at the sight. Among other things, it was bringing up old memories that he didn't have time to dwell on.  
  
_'I guess my question's just been answered...'_  
  
A snicker escaped. He _really_ didn't have the time. Getting to his feet, he shook his head as he regained his composure. Certain memories of a horrific minecart ride that had resurfaced were also shoved down with the laughter in the seconds it took for the doll to straighten up.  
  
"Not at all," Geno replied with a smile. "I'm here looking for someone." There was a brief pause before he continued, his words carefully uttered. "You wouldn't happen to have seen the Super Mario Brothers come through here, would you?"  
  
"Oh, why yes!" the man responded cheerfully, "Those chaps showed up not too long after a rather large object fell from sky. At least I believe it was a large object judging from how much my laboratory shook. After they explained the situation, I insisted that they take some of my ghost-catching inventions. But..." The elderly man sighed. "I have not heard back from either of them in quite a while. I tried entering the mansion myself, but the doors were locked!"  
  
"That certainly is odd..." Geno commented, his mind racing. The Koopa Car had crashed, Mario and Luigi had taken some gadgets to help them fight off ghosts, and now communication was cut. Boos were a tricky and cowardly foe, playing pranks on others and sometimes wanting to increase their numbers. Chances were that his old friend and the brother were trapped somewhere within the mansion. Just as likely, the Boos weren't keen on letting them go free.  
  
That is, assuming they _were_ Boos. He didn't know what to think if some other specter had gotten to them.  
  
"Excuse me," said the short man, snapping Geno out of his thoughts, "but it seems we haven't been properly introduced! I am Professor E. Gadd! Don't let my appearance fool you. My latest invention was a resounding success, but it inadvertently triggered an unstable compound in my lab." E. Gadd took off his glasses and pulled out a moderately clean cloth from a pocket inside his coat. As he began wiping off the lenses, Geno saw his opening and nodded.  
  
"My real name is difficult to pronounce, so I go by the name of this doll, Geno," said the star guardian.  
  
"Hmm? Doll?" E. Gadd replaced his spectacles to get a better view of the wanderer, only to back up a few paces as he gazed intensely at Geno. He readjusted his glasses, asking, "You're possessing that toy? Oh my! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but that seems not to be the case." In wonder, he breathed out his next words, "Astounding..."  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don't have time to chat," said Geno, suddenly feeling the pressure of a temporal limit against his back. He had to move quickly if he was to be of any use. "Is there any other way into the mansion?"  
  
"Well, I suppose you could always break open a window... But why on earth would you want to enter that ghost-filled nightmare?" He paused. "You're not hostile, so you can't be siding with King Boo..." The star warrior raised a nonexistent eyebrow at that. He crossed his arms and asked,  
  
"King Boo?"  
  
"Oh yes," said the professor, "Ever since Luigi captured him in the last mansion that blasted Boo created, he has been seeking revenge on us both! Now it seems that King Boo has not only Mario and Luigi within his grasp, but King Bowser and Princess Peach as well! This does not bode well..." Geno's brain nearly shut down after that. His mouth gaped open and shut like a cheep-cheep while his mind tried to comprehend the fact that all four missing persons he had been told about had been captured by a Boo. And not just any Boo; the king of them.  
  
At last, he was able to get a coherent response out.  
  
"What?!" The doll jumped into the air. This was not what he had been anticipated. Oh, not at all. His thoughts raced. A King Boo. Every aspect of any ordinary Boo would be increased to an extent mortals could barely fathom. In short order, images of a dead Koopa King, Mushroom Princess, and two heroes flashed through his mind. His entire body shook in a way it hadn't in years. He doubted even a Fearless Pin could have prevented him from the action. So many years had passed since he had felt anything close to this grip of --  
  
_\-- so much doubt, nearly asleep on his feet since he had used most of his energy in the transfer, and now he had to find the Star Pieces - alone - starting in this deadly forest. He was only one star spirit, not even as old as the others who had more power, and it was up to him - and only him, the only one who could be spared - to fix the Star Road. Their power, the power of the more powerful spirits, was needed up above to maintain as much order as possible while he searched the earth for every last piece of the Star Road that had fallen. They were counting on him. A laid-back, carefree star spirit with the weight of the world's hope on his now-wooden shoulders and he could barely concentrate through the --_  
  
\-- suffocating apprehension. It wasn't the least bit pleasant.  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid that it's a very troubling predicament." He wasn't listening. Not well anyways. He lowered his head, needing an idea - any idea - on how to go about this mess, but he needed to stop thinking of the worst case scenario; of Mario lying on the floor; of the soul of the Mushroom Kingdom's hero chained to this mansion for all eternity; of the princess possessed, with sickly skin tone, murmuring sweet lies as he was forced to fight the foreign spirit out of her --  
  
"Are all of them inside of that mansion? Or are they spread out in other areas?" the star spirit asked. There was no telling how far King Boo's influence went. Having command over a large number of ghosts was a given, and just because the ruling Boo had been subdued by Luigi before didn't mean it was going to be any easier in trapping it again. The guardian had to keep positive, maybe even unrealistically so, if he wanted to succeed.  
  
The scientist nodded at Geno's inquiry. "More than likely, yes. They should all still be somewhere within the confines of that mansion. If you are insistent on going in there, of which I am sure you are, you will need some of my ghost-catching inventions to help you! Come now! We must equip you properly, posthaste!" He spun around and headed back to the bushes, the smoke now reduced to barely visible trails of light gray.  
  
Blinking a few times at the desired outcome, Geno strolled behind E. Gadd, the short man halting in front of the shrubbery. A meter-wide metallic plate, covered in the same substance as the professor – smoke? Soot? Some chemical or other? - flattened some of the leaves and branches, allowing entrance into a hole in the ground. How far down it went was unclear.  
  
"Wait here for just a moment, Geno," said Gadd, "I must be sure that my lab is suitable for visitors." With that he climbed down into the hole and down a wooden ladder. After a moment, there was a fair amount of clanking and banging and rustling from somewhere under the earth. It wasn't long before the excitable old man called out.  
  
"Ah, there we go! Come in, Geno!" he beckoned from below. "We haven't much time!" Geno approached the hole and lowered himself onto the top of the ladder, steadily making his way down. "Oh! And please shut the silo, would you?" Going back up to pull the heavy metal lid along with him, the guardian sealed off the entrance with a _clank_.  
  
The underground room he found himself in was lit by only a few electric lights hanging from the steel ceiling. Contraptions and gizmos littered the room as did a layer of soot and the lingering smell of something burning. Such odd sights, those machines, that the star spirit had never seen. He couldn't even begin to attempt comprehending what half of the contraptions in the room were supposed to do, or what they were for. Still, his eyes wandered --  
  
_\-- to the tall windows above. She was up at the top of this strange tower, the number of stories still out of reach unknown as they continued to climb higher and higher past these deadly traps, the result of a demented child in a man's body. And yet these strange areas they found where they could rest for a moment, figuring out puzzles or grabbing something out of the pack to eat. They were peaceful and somehow not so out-of-place with the bizarre architecture, the creation of a child's dream, and he just couldn't get --_  
  
\-- over the absolute mysteries around him.  
  
"I apologize for the mess," said E. Gadd, standing near a tall, rectangular device that whirred from within. "The smell of smoke will dissipate eventually. Unfortunately, that won't be anytime soon even with my Absolutely Exceptional Sooty Oxygen Purificationizer operating again. Also known as A.E.S.O.P. for a quicker flick of the tongue." The man grinned like a goof, showing off his one huge tooth in his pride. "Although it feels like it needs a new name. Ah, another pondering for another day." He waved one hand dismissively, as if the proper ridiculous name would come to him in time.  
  
"Er," began the star spirit, "I believe you said something about 'ghost-catching inventions' a while ago...."  
  
"Oh!" The scientist seemed to perk up at that. "I apologize. I seem to have gone off my initial train of thought. Now, let's see... Luigi and Mario already took the Poltergust 5000 and Poltergust 3001, as well as the DSi Horrors... Let me see if I can't dig up some old replacements." E. Gadd slipped into a door beside the noisy machine that Geno had overlooked, muttering to himself all the while.  
  
Geno had to restrain from taking in a breath of dirty air. The old timer sure knew how to talk, and it was cutting into his time limit. Now he just had to hope that the professor found something soon. Without anyone around he had nothing to concentrate on anymore. He was left with his thoughts, the ones that he couldn't keep down any longer.  
  
And they rose to the surface.  
  
_Fire. That raw intensity he knew by personal experience was nothing compared for what he was preparing to do. His resolve to find the Star Piece was solid, yet, inside, he found a shred of reluctance that made him hesitate, just for an instant, in jumping off the clouds. Lava, magma, living flame; he was about to throw himself into the middle of it all that could burn up the body he was borrowing. With his own natural power combined with the Star Pieces they had already recovered, he had been able to survive being damaged by sea water and all manner of fire and water attacks.  
  
But this was another matter altogether.  
  
Barrel Volcano. Their next stop and he had to brace himself.  
  
Even if it was again in mid-air.  
  
Uncertainty, fear, and hope he hadn't felt since Punchinello's final big bang filled him. Mallow was trying to keep his mouth shut and failing, Bowser was cursing at a screaming Mario, his words lost in the wind, and the princess...  
  
He wasn't about to look up.  
  
When the fall was over and he had regained his senses, he peered down at himself then back up at the rest of the group. The grin came naturally. It was incredibly stuffy down there and very uncomfortable, but they were alive. If they hadn't grabbed the other five Star Pieces --_  
  
"Amazing!" Geno's head snapped up in time to catch sight of E. Gadd, clothed in a new white coat, walking out from the door he had last disappeared into. He held a small device about the size of a portable game system, looking back and forth between it and his visitor. "My Boo Radar didn't detect you, and you weren't appearing on the normal ghost radar either! Hmm... Very strange..." The words had tumbled out of the man's mouth so fast, Geno had to replay them in his head to understand what it was that the odd man had said.  
  
The guardian blinked then chuckled. "It only seems to pick up on earthbound spirits then." Gadd took in a sharp breath of air, being sent into a coughing fit. When he was finally able to breathe normally again, he said,  
  
"So you... Could you have come from the other side? No, no..." He held his chin in one hand, seeming to continue to himself, "My radar would have picked you up, but... Could it be...?! Are you from beyond this plane, come back from your final resting place? Hmm...." Geno shook his head, a slight smile forming on his face.  
  
"I'm afraid you're on a very different train of thought. You see, I'm temporarily borrowing this form while I complete a mission."  
  
"Orders? Then that must mean...!" Gadd stifled another sharp inhale but when he spoke again, there was a note of awe in his voice, "Are you a spirit from the stars?" Geno nodded, folding his arms over his chest. The smirk came naturally.  
  
"Indeed I am." As if answering an unasked question, he went on, "I'm here because of a surge in wishes that can't be fulfilled by normal means. Without the Mario Brothers and Princess T-- Peach, the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom have begun to worry. Usually they would keep up hope, but with all the Boos terrorizing them, it hasn't been easy." The guardian shook his head. That was putting it lightly. He couldn't imagine the effort the other spirits were putting in to somehow help the terrorized populace. The Star Road would grant wishes, yes, but sometimes the more complicated pleas needed a little nudge. In this case, it was a series of nudges plus a battering ram.  
  
The scientist swayed a bit where he stood, leaning on one foot then the other. "Er..." he mumbled, readjusting his glasses. Gadd spoke up a little louder, "I _might_ have had something to do with that." He paused as he steadied himself. "Several days ago, there was a science fair extravaganza being held in the Mushroom Kingdom. More specifically, it was being held in the town just outside of the castle. I had brought my Portable Ghost Portrificationizer along to present to the masses, but when I wasn't looking, someone unleashed one of the ghosts I had captured! That one freed the others and soon the whole town was in an uproar! I tried recapturing them, but they chased me into this forest! Luckily I had already dug out a space for my lab when I first came here hunting for ghosts. This is terribly ironic..."  
  
For a moment, Geno's eyes couldn't get any bigger. Then it passed and he spoke, "So it was your invention..." A figurative light bulb went off and some connections started forming in his head. He blinked. "What exactly did it do?"  
  
"Why, it pressed ghosts into a visible form then turned them into portraits! Incidentally, it also happens to work in reverse."  
  
"I think you may want to take out that feature in the future...."  
  
"Ah, but then there wouldn't have been a chance of rescuing Mario when King Boo captured him before." Geno was about to question what that meant, when the old man waved a hand dismissively between them. "But we've wasted enough time talking. I managed to find some old inventions of mine that should help you inside the mansion. I'll be back in a jiffy." He turned and reentered the adjacent room as quick as he was able. After a brief moment of noisy rummaging, Gadd returned with a small, red machine hanging on his back, one hand grasping a green and pinkish flashlight and the other the gaming device from earlier.  
  
"These should do the job!" The pure enthusiasm in his voice alone insisted as such. "The Poltergust 3000 is an old invention of mine, but it still gets the job done. Simply shine the Gaddlight-" the flashlight was flicked on and pointed at an imaginary foe, "-at a ghost to reveal its heart then quickly suck them up before they can get away!" The professor slipped the machine off his back and handed Geno the Gaddlight. "Unfortunately," he added, placing the vacuum on the floor, "I don't have a training room here, so you'll have to work it out inside the mansion. Quite the inconvenience, I'm afraid." Geno gave the flashlight a once over, noting the Boo symbol on the side slashed over in red. He stashed it away in his bag then began looking over the Poltergust 3000. When E. Gadd chuckled, the guardian peered up again to see that the game system was being held out to him.  
  
"This right here is the Game Boy Horror. It allows you to keep communication with me and show a map of the areas you have explored." Gadd placed the device in the other's outstretched hand. "There are other functions, but I doubt you'll have to worry about them."  
  
Geno took a moment to fiddle with the buttons and learn what each one did. Finished, he placed it with the Gaddlight in his bag. Though he hesitated at the Poltergust.  
  
"...And this still works?" he asked.  
  
Gadd bobbed his head. "Yes-sirree. It may be an older model, but it can suck up ghosts like the day its final testing was concluded." Seeing no reason not to, Geno picked up the slightly battered vacuum and put his arms through the straps. If the circumstances were different, if his mission now didn't rely on him keeping off King Boo's radar or not drawing the attention of every spirit in the mansion with a powerful attack, he would have declined the equipment. As it was, he needed to find the Brothers, the Princess, and the King without stirring up too much trouble and possibly sparking the Boos into moving their unwilling guests.  
  
"Just a moment. I have one more invention for you." Instead of going into the backroom again, Gadd picked up a slim, white object sitting on a table behind him. He held it up in the air like a great achievement, and seeing how he reacted earlier to his lent equipment, he probably thought as much. "Allow me to introduce the Specter Expeller! Point it at someone who has been possessed then press the B trigger button on the bottom to lock onto the ghost's signature. After that, just press the A button to start the exorcising process. Don't forget to use the security strap here so you don't lose it during a tough scuffle." During the spiel, Gadd had been twirling the gizmo around to show off the design. It seemed like it could fit snugly in one hand. Definitely made for convenience. Gadd handed over the Specter Expeller to his guest. "I'm not too sure what happened to Mario and Luigi, but if they haven't been turned into portraits then this may be the only key to saving them! Unless they got trapped in there somewhere...." He shook his head as if to banish the thought as Geno took up the small device. "Bah. But you needn't worry about that," the little man added, "Unless, of course, you actually need to use the Specter Expeller."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind," Geno replied carefully. He examined the gadget, trying to tell himself that even though he wanted the best outcome --  
  
_\-- now that they were finally here in the enemy's home dimension, now that everything was going to be thrown at them, they still had hope. Though he didn't want to, not when they had come so far --_  
  
\-- he had to prepare for the worst. Anything was possible.  
  
"E. Gadd," he began slowly, "if you wouldn't mind, I have one last question."  
  
"Hmm? Yes?" Geno put the gadget in his bag, giving the short man his full attention.  
  
"You said that the front door was locked. Is there any other way of getting into the mansion?"  
  
"Hmm... I do believe there's a back way that Luigi opened a while back. You could enter through there if the ghosts haven't locked it back up." Geno nodded with a grateful smile forming on his face.  
  
"Thank you. Your help is greatly appreciated."  
  
"Oh ho ho! It was no trouble, my dear Geno. Go get those ruffians!" With one last bob of the head, Geno turned around and left through the hatch he came through. Shutting the lid, he spied E. Gadd coming up the ladder. He reopened it, asking,  
  
"I thought you were staying behind?" Peaking his head out into the fresh evening air, the elder only laughed.  
  
"Oh ho ho! Of course I am! I have a mess of a laboratory to clean up. I'm only here to see you off. It's a bit of a habit I've developed." Again that one-tooth grin. Geno softly chuckled before taking off, waving farewell as the elderly man did the same.

Soon enough what good feelings he had were shoved back in favor of his objective. On the stony path once more, he ambled up to the rusted fence with more than a few health food items in his pack this time for when he came upon any of his former companions. Dead plants and trees were scattered beyond the gate intermixed with lively weeds and wily vines. The breeze murmured of a promise to bring all comers to another plane; an unwanted invitation to all, not just one who hailed from the stars. A sensation of being observed wove around him, and although he concentrated, he could still --  
  
_\-- feel their eyes on him as he made his way through the town, their gaze unwavering from every window. They knew -_ they knew _\- and it was only a matter of time before the facade broke and they attacked. Mallow was oblivious, Toadstool was worried, and Bowser didn't care, but Mario was at least a little suspicious. None of them understood and no one could --_  
  
\-- sense that they were aware of his presence. Even now they could be preparing for his arrival.  
  
A sudden clatter echoed through the relatively silent air. He jumped, looking up sharply to see a worn shutter bouncing off the porch covering and landing just feet away from where he stood. A laugh, high and short-lived, accompanied the act promptly after. After giving a half-hearted glare to the upper stories, Geno looked at the surroundings of the ground floor. To his left was a small garden that seemed to lead into the back and to the right was a dirt path, it too continuing around the corner. Taking only seconds to decide, Geno walked up to the barren trail. It just so happened to lead to an extension of the mansion further down the way. The building was the same off-color blue as the rest of the place with two entry ways: one normal door and a solid wall of metal that seemed movable. He reached forward and turned the knob of the former, pushing it open into the gloom as it creaked.  
  
The interior was darker than the moonlit grounds with only streams of moonlight entering through the windows to see by. Being barely able to see more than the outlines of the objects within aside from a few cardboard boxes, Geno stepped into the building, shutting the door behind him. Everything suddenly became much darker and he felt along the walls nearby for a light switch. Finding one, he flicked it up.  
  
No lights came on.  
  
Suppressing a sigh, he subconsciously ran a hand over his head, peering about at his surroundings. There had been barely any signs of Boo activity so far, but that didn't mean that they weren't there, waiting and watching for their chance to act. Reaching into his pack, he withdrew the Gaddlight and switched it on, the shadows dancing from one surface to another as he swept the light over the area. Dusty boxes were stacked in piles scattered about the room, a variety of rusty tools hung on one of the walls, and in the center was a large, metal machine on wheels. His eyes lingered for only a moment before he pressed on. Even with the machine taking up as much room as it did, there was more than enough space to maneuver through the cluttered area to get to the door over on his far left.  
  
Geno walked forward, his eyes gliding side to side with caution. Aside from the unease that hadn't quite settled from the news about King Boo, nothing seemed to be amiss. There was only him and the neglected garage full of abandoned items.  
  
A sudden, mischievous laugh echoed around him. He whirled around with his Gaddlight, his body going stiff as he gazed into two bright, glowing ovals of gold. He blinked and his mind finally registered the translucent, yellow being as a ghost and that within the ectoplasm, a heart floated, pink and vibrant. The flashlight focused on the gleaming heart as the ghost floated there, frozen in the silly pose of trying to slap someone.  
  
He reached for the Poltergust's suction tube, the ghost fading away with each passing second. Using the Gaddlight to see by, he immediately located the on-off switch and started the vacuum up. By the time it began to work, the ghoul was gone and he was left with the same sensation of being observed as before. Geno turned the vacuum off and crept carefully, step-by-step, around the strewn items on the floor, listening for his stalker. He had taken barely five feet before the laugh bounced off the walls again. Wasting no time, he turned around, shining the flashlight on the yellow ghost's heart. The Poltergust was immediately activated.  
  
The next few seconds were a blur as a mini-cyclone came out of the nozzle and seemed to attach itself to the pulsating heart within the ghost. Instantly, it was flying away from him, the suction from the Poltergust so strong that the phantom dragged the doll along with it. The Gaddlight was abandoned as Geno opted to both hands to keep a firm grasp on the hose. Trying to find some traction for a chance to pull away or become an anchor proved fruitless. With little other option left, Geno ran to keep up with the ghost. The heart's glow became fainter, spurring it to gain altitude, heading right over a pile of boxes to get further away from the portable prison. Geno hopped onto one box, then another, keeping with the phantom. On the top one he leapt into the air, the heart turning black and the specter sputtering in protest as it spiraled into the Poltergust. Geno landed in a crouch, keeping his eyes on the ghost until it disappeared with a _pop_ into the vacuum.  
  
A small smile formed on his face. Aside from almost losing his grip on the tube and the initial fiddling with the Poltergust, the capture had been easy. Straightening himself out, Geno moved back to his initial point where he had been ambushed. He picked up the Gaddlight, making sure to keep the Poltergust's suction tube ready in another hand. With an eye on the shadows, Geno continued on to the exit.  
  
Not even ten steps later, the same eerie laughter invaded his ears, a chorus of it. Acting on a hunch, Geno spun around. The light passed over one ghost but focused on another. As the first faded away, he was already activating the Poltergust and chasing the golden-eyed spirit around the room, maneuvering around the obstacles he was being led through. His flashlight managed to remain in hand for a few seconds before inevitably being dropped on a box alongside the sounds of gleeful laughter. The ghost was captured in another satisfactory _pop_ as the other specter floated over to him. Even without a light shining on it, the other worldly being glowed. A toothless smile welcomed the star guardian to play its little game as it giggled and floated forward. It seemed to be missing its wits though as it crossed through the only beam of light in the room and soon froze in place. The pursuit through the room went much the same as the last two and in seconds a small _pop_ signaled the apprehension of yet another ghoul.  
  
All at once the lone lightbulb in the middle of the room lit up, and a chill Geno hadn't noticed before dissipated. The area seemed to have a gentler vibe to it, the former oppressive atmosphere having been lifted. A strange, eerie tune suddenly emanated from his pack and the star spirit flinched. Quickly composing himself – because a simple tune shouldn't have caught him off guard like that, he had fought Smithy for crying out loud! - he reached inside and found the Game Boy Horror, screen flashing and demanding attention.  He pressed a couple buttons until there was a _beep_ and E. Gadd's pale face appeared on it. Black smudges marred the wall behind him, and some unseen machine was humming in the background.  
  
"Hello, Geno!" he greeted. "I completely forgot to mention before you left. Luigi opened up the back door to the mansion, but didn't get around to the garage. Those ghosts you saw are the weakest, but you shouldn't underestimate them! If you're having trouble, try hanging onto something sturdy so you don't get carried away, ho ho! Anyway I better get back to cleaning up the lab. Good luck with your search!" The communication was cut off immediately after. Geno blinked and turned the contraption off. The exit was in sight and he had been distracted long enough.  
  
Walking out of the garage Geno came upon a small, square garden in the backyard. Unlit lanterns hung on poles at each corner around the flowers. A bench sat on the far side of the yard, toy trains and a ball lying around it. A perfectly normal sight anyone would see at a home where the living still walked and played, and yet something felt off about this yard. It had a different vibe from the rest of the mansion, though he couldn't quite place why that was.  
  
"Hello there, dearie."  
  
He sensed more than saw her at first; the eerily glowing woman forming on the other side of the garden. Yellow eyes peered up, nearly hidden under a floppy hat. "Are you here looking for someone, too?" Geno hesitated. No menacing presence, no threatening posture. Only going about her business as if she were alive but she was dead and --  
  
_\-- the chanting wouldn't stop, echoing around him ceaselessly. He had heard of them before. Born in death with their own goals, tricking mortals to increase their numbers. Wishes half-filled; wishes left to echo an empty hope; wishes of unanswered pleas. He had heard of these, too. He glanced at the hero, the piece of fluff, the princess, and even the Koopa King, swearing to himself that none of them would join the ranks of spirit world, not today, even if --_  
  
\-- he was not prepared for an experience like this. Could she be the reason for the difference in the atmosphere?  
  
Composing himself, the doll slowly nodded. "Yes, I am. Could you tell me who else is searching around here?" A small smile formed on the woman's face. She answered in a faint voice,  
  
"Yes, it was a nice man in green. He came by yesterday wearing a Poltergust and watered my flowers." She gestured to the garden. "Such a sweet man." Though mostly floating already, the ghost pushed herself up to proper height. She smoothed out her blue dress then clasped her hands together in front of her. Perhaps it was in the way she presented herself, or maybe it was how she seemed to accept a total stranger with the means to her imprisonment, but something about this soul gave off the impression of safety and reliance. A memory of a former teammate began to rise up, but he shoved it back down. This was no time to get lost in the past.  
  
"Thank you, miss," said Geno. The tension that had kept every joint stiffer than usual gradually released, replaced by the hope that he could soon find someone.  
  
"Please, call me Auntie Floren," the ghost said with a laugh. "It's what everyone calls me - oh!" She jumped up with a squeal, gripping her hat with one hand as a toy train fell right through her head and bounced into the garden. She looked up at an open window on the second floor and her form shook.  
  
"Oh, that child! He never takes care of his things!" Floren rounded back to Geno. "Dear, do you think you can help me? Ever since that nice man in green left that child's been tossing toys out of his window. I would like to finally to able to enjoy this garden without a flower being crushed by a rogue baseball. Please...."  
  
It was a bad idea all around: a living doll speaking to a kid who would rather toss it out the window than listen. Although, his duty-bound mind reasoned, if the child was acting out because Luigi was gone then perhaps he could point the way to where the younger Mario brother was last seen.  
  
Another conundrum: Luigi was officially missing again. The star spirit's job was getting better and better by the second.  
  
But the look on Floren's face sealed his decision.  
  
After a couple seconds' pause, he said, "I'll talk to him."  
  
"You will?" she asked, clearly thrilled by the guardian's answer. "Oh thank you!" She bent down low and beckoned him over. He approached and she continued, "Now, listen carefully. Many of us ghosts here fear E. Gadd's inventions. That Poltergust on your back is among one of the most hated. Not every ghost will be as understanding as I am and will harm you. Although the...things that harm you regardless of your reasons would most likely be the False Phantoms around here."  
  
"False Phantoms?"  
  
"Yes. They look like ghosts and act like ghosts, but they are certainly unlike your average phantom. Some of the others say that they're visitors, but I say they're imitations of the genuine article! Why, I was told that they disappear from inside the Poltergust once they have been sucked up! And smile all the time, too!" Auntie Floren gave a big show of shuddering as she proceeded. "I don't know where they came from, but they infest this mansion like mice!" She shook her head and tsked. "But no one listens to me... Thank you for lending an ear." She smiled for a moment as she straightened herself out, a frown quickly returning as she spoke, "Now about that child... Chuckie is difficult, but easily scared. With some doing I bet you could stop him from throwing his toys everywhere without having to resort to the Poltergust. If you manage this, I will tell you where that man Luigi went off to."  
  
With a single bob of his head, Geno agreed. "All right. I'll go see what I can do about him." He turned to approach the door while Auntie Floren returned to her garden, kneeling down as he passed. There was a whoosh and a clatter behind Geno's back. He took a quick glance over his shoulder to see that the toy train now lay with the rest of the playthings near the bench. He turned back to the door and twisted the knob, the door creaking as he pushed it in. He stepped inside and took in a cursory glance of the interior. Wall-mounted lamps lined the hallway to his left and right as well as the hall that was just off to the side. The carpet and walls were faded yet the knobs on the doors he could see seemed well taken care of.  
  
A strong, sudden gust and the door slammed shut behind him, the bang resonating through the halls. When the echoes died off, everything became unnaturally silent. It was as if a presence was in control of when most sounds were to be made, watching him in preparation. Always watching.  
  
No winds were left to disturb him, no debris to crunch under his feet. It occurred to him as the dust settled around his feet that he hadn't noticed how noisy it had been outside. Every creak his feet made echoed through the empty, lit hallways. The invisible eyes were less persistent, more passive and idle instead of actively monitoring him. Whether or not there was apprehension behind such action, he could not tell. A star-spirit in control of a toy, handling a machine that they feared. There was some level of irony to be had in his position and it was not lost on him. The ghosts and False Phantoms were sure not to see any humor in it, however.  
  
It took several minutes of jiggling handles and opening doors into bathrooms, bedrooms, the kitchen, a study, and the parlor to find a stairwell on the other side of the mansion. By the light of a hallway lamp he could make out one set of stairs leading down to the basement and another going up. Turning on his flashlight, Geno walked into the stairwell and made his way through the darkness to the second floor, ever wary of a surprise greeting. Step by step, he paid close attention to every creak from the stairs and every groan from the house until he finally made it to the second floor landing. The door opened with little sound into the pitch black hallway which, unlike the stairwell, was occupied. Blue and purple mice scurried over the walls and floor, ducking into one hole only to run out another. For the most part, they ignored Geno's presence, racing past him as he crept by.  
  
In the blink of an eye, his arms were jerked upwards and he was dangling in the air. Light blue arms coiled around his as high-pitched, hiccuped giggling filled the corridor. It took two seconds for him to process this and another to shine his flashlight behind him. The laughing stopped and the arms faded, leaving Geno to drop to the floor of a now empty hallway. This star spirit was no fool and immediately the Poltergust's hose was out in hand. His eyes roamed the hall, searching for the mischievous specter as he backed up against the wall.  
  
The silence was broken by laughter, quiet with barely contained energy. He turned his head this way and that as it echoed around him, unable to find the source. An idea struck and Geno briefly turned to face one end of the corridor. He then swung around and focused his light on the glowing heart of a ghost sticking out of the ceiling, two hands already extending towards him. The Poltergust was put to use immediately, the mini-cyclone latching onto the heart and sending the specter into a frenzy as it tried to get away. Geno brought both hands together to hold onto the hose and Gaddlight as he dug his heels into the carpet. He was dragged across the floor as the phantom zig-zagged in the narrow space. Soon though, the heart faded away and the ghost was sucked into the modified vacuum with a _pop_. Geno silently sighed. These ghosts – False Phantoms maybe? - were beginning to be such nuisances. He regained his bearings and continued on to the back of the mansion where he was sure a room overlooked the back garden.  
  
No other spirits aside from the mice made themselves known as Geno went along his route. He soon stood before an old door with a brass, ornate knob. Making sure his hands were empty of any threats, he turned it and peeked inside.  
  
Toys littered the floor. As he stepped into the room, he found shelves lined with books, a wrecked train set on the ground, an over-stuffed toy box, and an opened window. Yet what drew his attention was the pale figure sitting on the neatly made bed. The child couldn't have been older than five or six, giving voices to his toys and making them come alive. A world he could make come alive on a single whim.  
  
"'General One-Eye here!'" the child said in a tone was obviously supposed to be gruff, but it fluctuated too much. "'Deploy the Bom-omb! Take out Old Grizz! Pshoooo!'" He mimicked explosions, throwing a stuffed bear across the room. A lighter voice was given next; that of a young soldier, "'We did it, General! Old Grizz has been defeated! The kingdom is saved and your wife won't burn dinner!' Hooray!" Arms waving in the air, the kid didn't notice Geno until he shut the door. As soon as they made eye contact, Geno greeted,  
  
"Hey there. Are you Chuckie?" Despite being dead, the child's face seemed to light up at the sight of him. He bounced up and down where he sat.  
  
"Hey, cool, a living toy!" he shouted in a squeaky voice, "Yeah, I'm Chuckie! Come on, let's play!" Geno chuckled to himself. Another excited kid on his travels, and he was just as energetic as the last. No matter where they were kids always seemed eager.  
  
He smiled at the boy. "I would, but I don't have time. I came up here because Auntie Floren wants you stop tossing your toys outside the window. They're going to break if you keep doing that and then you won't have any toys at all." As Geno spoke, Chuckie hung his legs off the edge of his bed, his frown deepening into a scowl.  
  
"No way!" Chuckie shouted, "She's always trying to tell me what to do! She's not my mom! Why should I have to listen to anything she says? To anything _you_ say?!"  
  
_'The people here are amazing... They try to do so much by themselves, but they don't know how much help they really need.'_  
  
He tried a different approach. "Think of it this way: what would happen if you threw every toy down into Floren's garden?" The right words never failed to get people thinking.  
  
_'...Have you ever noticed that no matter how many times Bowser kidnaps the Princess or attacks the Mushroom Kingdom, he never wins?'_  
  
"But I won't throw _all_ of them!" the ghost insisted, "Only the ones I don't like." He flailed his hands in the air to get across just how much he had this thought out. Geno cupped his chin in one hand, supporting the hanging elbow with his free hand in a contemplative look. A small show for the kid wouldn't hurt, and in a wooden body physical gestures were best.  
  
_'That's right! Mortals have their own strength, too. It's incredible, but sometimes they just...need an extra push...'_  
  
"Then you would be left with only the ones you want to play with. Wouldn't you get bored playing with the same ones all the time?" the guardian asked.  
  
"Well..." Chuckie looked away, "I guess so..." He sharply turned back to face Geno. "But it doesn't make her right! She thinks that just because she's older than me she can boss me around! She spends all her time down in her stupid garden and never makes time for me!" The toys on the ground rustled as the kid continued to rant. "Nobody cares about me! Even the red guy Mario didn't keep his promise!" A hint, a trace, the one thing he needed to hear. The timeline of events was beginning to form.  
  
Seeing his chance, Geno interjected, "I've traveled with Mario before, and he's not someone who would throw away a promise. I'm looking for him right now and if I find him, I'll tell him you are still waiting on him."  
  
Chuckie's eyes narrowed. "You're lying! Everyone lies to me! They say they'll play or come back but they never do!" A sudden chill overtook Geno. The temperature of the room plummeted. Compared to the nip he had felt in the storage area, this was oppressive. How could one child have this much control over his surroundings? "I should throw you out the window, too!" A ball zoomed at Geno but he leaned to the side ("Whoa!") and allowed it to bounce into the wall behind him.  
  
  
"You're a liar and I shouldn't trust you! You'll just leave like everybody else!" There was something about the way Chuckie's form shifted that told Geno he had better pay sharp attention to this kid. As if the ball narrowly missing his head wasn't enough incentive. "...But not you. I'll make you stay!" The window slid shut and the curtains closed over it, blocking out most of the moonlight. "Let's play!" Chuckie vanished and the game was on.  
  
The little light that streamed through the curtains was not enough to see well by. Straining his eyes, Geno tried getting used to the new light level, but it was no good. He didn't have time for his eyes to adjust well so rather than risk tripping over the scattered toys, he brought out the Gaddlight and switched it on. Next problem: moving fast was completely out of the question. His options limited, he shuffled through the toys, every little noise caught and identified to distinguish from an actual ambush as he slowly moved the flashlight about. Blocks scooting into paper, little soldiers moving against a stuffed-animal, more blocks bumping into marbles, another stuffed toy, a mat under one foot, marbles rolling off the mat –    
  
"Peek-a-boo!" He stumbled over several toys, caught himself, and whirled around quick enough to see the ghost fading away. Standing in the dimly lit room full of toys, Geno was a vulnerable target. He didn't want to fight a tantrum-throwing child. He didn't want to fight a child, period. The only course of action he had left was putting a stop to all this. Though there was only way he knew how. Giggling came from behind and he swung around to greet it.  
  
Chuckie froze, his expression of bitterness stuck in its place. For the briefest of seconds while the heart lay exposed, Geno didn't move. The implications registered were simple to comprehend, but not so easy to fully accept.  
  
A heart, vulnerable and waiting. He had the ability to take it, to extinguish the light. But this spirit, this child, had done nothing to be subjected to the cramped chamber sitting on his back. This was no False Phantom or malevolent spirit.  
  
As the boy faded, Geno caught onto his logical thoughts and shook his head. The curtains pulled back allowing moonlight to stream in once more. Chuckie appeared near his bed, clutching at where the glowing heart was.  
  
"You can do that too...?" he asked in awe. "I saw that green guy do the same thing to the others in the hall before he...." The boy's golden eyes widened. "I'll be good! Just don't take me away, please! I want to stay here! I won't cause any more trouble so please don't...!" Chuckie covered his face, wailing loudly. His words had been rushed and now his form shuddered where he floated.  
  
Geno tucked the Gaddlight into his pack and raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Relax! I never had any intention of using the Poltergust on you."  
  
Chuckie looked up, peeking at Geno through his fingers. "R-Really? But everybody says anyone with a Poltergust is nasty!" Someone walking around with the key to your prison? Yes, it wouldn't make sense not to avoid such a person. Geno waved his hands, making no attempt to approach the child just yet.  
  
He said, "I'm not here to stir up trouble. I'm here looking for some people to take back to the Mushroom Kingdom. I think you might've seen two of them already." Chuckie started to lower his hands. The next words out of his mouth had a tinge of awe to them:  
  
"You're here to take them away?" It was like Geno was doing the unthinkable. Although whether or not this was leaning towards approval was still up in the air.  
  
Geno nodded and looked Chuckie straight in the eye, "That's right."  
  
"But, but Mario promised to play with me!" The look on Chuckie's face was like he was shown a whole litter of puppies, given one, and then had it taken away. Perhaps if, no, _when_ he found the missing hero he could get Chuckie to calm down. But there was no chance of doing that right now. He had no time for taking care of a child, nevertheless a ghost child and every moment he wasn't searching for everyone was another moment wasted.  
  
"When I find him, I promise I'll bring him back here," he said with a smile, "Do you happen to know where he went?"  
  
Chuckie shook his head. "No... He and the green guy went off somewhere and haven't come back. It's like they disappeared!" Geno tried not to let his mind wander over too many conclusions when he had a pretty good idea of what happened. Exploring the mansion for clues to the Princess' whereabouts, the Mario Brothers became trapped by King Boo, and were probably in need of a Pick-Me-Up or two now - why hadn't the stores carried it anymore? - while waiting for help to arrive.  
  
A streak of despair and it was purged. His hope had to remain strong, for their sakes and his. Feeling his hope fading could only mean that, somehow, the process of dying wishes had sped up. He had a fleeting thought that the trickle-down effect of power from the Honorable Star Spirits had taken a heavy blow before he shut it away. He couldn't let his mind wander to such conclusions just because he had a moment of weakness.  
  
In the brief pause, Geno's thoughts snapped together and he asked, "What about the green one? Did you see where he went?" Chuckie shook his head, wringing his hands together.  
  
"I heard him," he said, "thumping around upstairs, but that was a long time ago. I've been afraid to go and check without Mr. Cheezers. He just doesn't want to go!" Chuckie pouted and looked at his bedside table. The star warrior nodded and resisted the urge to let out a silent sigh. There was probably nothing else Chuckie knew, but at least he had a lead. Finally, he was getting somewhere.  
  
"All right, thanks. You just narrowed my search." Geno crossed his arms with a smile. "Just one thing… Who's Mr. Cheezers?" he asked, half-closing an eye since he couldn't raise an eyebrow.  
  
Chuckie directed his full attention to Geno, grinning widely, "He's my best friend! He lives in here with me." A small golden mouse darted out from the table, going up the wall and into the light fixture. Chuckie continued as if he hadn't seen the little blur, "He tried freeing me when I was trapped in my po'trait, but he got King Boo instead 'cause they were all covered up." The child looked just a little guilty until the mouse came back down with a single toy block and sat itself right next to Chuckie. The kid just beamed. He had no idea of the extent of what 'Mr. Cheezers' had done and it wouldn't do any good to lecture either of them. And Chuckie was in a portrait? There were not enough words to adequately state how he felt about that, so he settled for a sigh and chalking it up as one of those things he would have to ask Gadd about if there was ever the time.  
  
"I've got to get going," Geno said at last, "Now, you won't bother Floren anymore, right?" Chuckie snapped his attention back to the guardian. He flailed his arms.  
  
"No, I'll be good!" Geno gave one last smirk then turned to leave.  
  
"Oh!" He looked back. The kid was reaching out to him, but now seemed unsure. "Um... Watch out for Bellina. She thinks she knows eeeeverything." By the tone of his voice, it sounded like he was rolling his eyes.  
  
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." Wasting no more time, Geno quickly left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Immediately he felt something wasn't right. The presence in the hallway had all but vanished. The stillness he was left in was the sort ambushes were launched in. Yet no matter how long he waited, nothing attacked him.  
  
It was the humming that caught him. Then the sound of movement above. He rushed back to the stairwell, mindful of the mice and potential foes, and stormed up the stairs to the third floor, the last landing the well would go. He slowed down long enough not to barrel into the door, listening carefully with one side of his head close to it.  
  
From the other side, he could hear a woman singing in unison with a man. She - an elegant pitch; he - squeaky, hoarse, and not entirely on-key. Geno opened the door and he caught a glimpse of green disappearing around a corner.  
  
"Luigi?" he asked, more to himself than the stranger before running down the hall. Around the bend, a rickety ladder stretched into a hole in the ceiling.  
  
The attic. No place left to go.  
  
Geno climbed up the ladder, well aware of what he might be walking into. His thoughts focused, willing away all distractions as he reached the top. He brought out his light and passed it once over the stuff lying around the attic. Boxes, books, mannequins, and old assorted knickknacks crowded the far edges of the wide area while more well-kept, usable items were placed close to the entrance.  
  
"Luigi?" he called, his voice not carrying far.  
  
Giggling, shrill and fluctuating, unnaturally echoed in response.  
  
"Hee hee hee... What do we have here?" From behind a standing mirror stepped a tall, mustache-ioed man in overalls. It didn't take much to connect the dots: with green clothing in exchange for red, this was Luigi. It would be comforting to know he was well if he didn't stare at Geno with those glowing yellow eyes. That alone would have automatically put Geno on alert if he wasn't already after hearing such laughter.  
  
When Luigi spoke again, it was in a woman's voice: "A doll? Don't tell me you got into Chuckie's toys. Any self-respecting spirit would have chosen something better to possess..." He waved a hand in dismissing the doll form as inferior. "Not some ratty, outdated toy. Then again you are a traitor. How could you betray us, wearing and using that...that compact prison!"  
  
Geno clinched his hands into fists. He was reminded of how the limbs were looser than they had been the last time be borrowed this form. He had to get used to a physical form all over again in which time he was told all about why patches had been sewn into the cape and hat; how there were plenty of nicks and scratches from adventures into the Forest Maze. The toy was worn, but not any less reliable than it had been during his journey to recover the Star Pieces.  
  
Geno straightened himself up and boomed, "That's enough! I'm not a ghost. I'm here to rescue Luigi and bring hope back to the Mushroom Kingdom! Now," he switched to an aggressive stance, one arm pointed at Luigi. "Release him!" He caught a stray thought to bring out his Star Gun and pushed it away. He had alternative weapons now, gadgets that could save Luigi.  
  
"Oh?" Luigi - no, the spirit inside him said in a somewhat deadly tone, "Feeling high and mighty are we?" She put Luigi's hands on his sides. "Well, Mister Hotshot," she said, sarcasm and ire dripping in her words. She made the plumber's hips sway to one side and crossed his arms. "If you're not a ghost then what are you? What right do you have to tell me who I can and can't possess?"  
  
Geno stood straight and proud. "I am a visitor from above in service to a higher authority. It's by this authority that I have been sent to the surface in search of...certain people. The man you are now manipulating is one of them. Let him go and you can be left to go about your business." _And be not forced into a portrait for people to gawk at_ went unsaid. She began to laugh, an edge of superiority in her mockery.  
  
"Tch. That's boring! Besides, why would I want to give into the demands of the likes of you?" She glared at him - it was getting easier to see past her victim's face - as if the guardian were lower than her. As she spoke, acid would occasionally drip into her words, "I know your kind, don't try to beat around the bush. You're one of those star spirits, aren't you? The kind mommies tell their children about at night to calm them down. You barely exist on our plane and yet you think you can just boss us around!" She looked down and examined Luigi's body. "It's kinda ugly, but I think I'll keep this body for a while...."  
  
Again, Geno had to resist getting off topic. This specter knew how to hit sensitive issues. Rather than contemplate her words at all, he got straight to the point.  
  
"You have no idea of what will happen if he doesn't return home," Geno crossed his arms and shook his head, "and what do you mean by 'our plane'?"  
  
Luigi's face turned into a sneer. "And here I thought star spirits were supposed to be all-knowing. I'll spell it out for you. _We_ exist on the plane of death. _You_ exist on the plane of hope." A prickling sensation, like tiny poking needles, crept up Geno's arms. "Mortals think it's just one, but there's a huge difference! While we're stuck here with our only choices being to either move on or be stuck in limbo, you star spirits are free to go anywhere you want! And here you are now, possessing a doll to walk the earth."  
  
For one tense moment, the entire world was frozen. There was only Luigi, the spirit, and him.  
  
"Well, you know what I think?" said Luigi, the spirit's voice beginning to intertwine with his. "I think you need to be knocked off your pedestal!" A brilliant flash of white filled his vision.  
  
And then everything shifted.  
  
He took a step back. They were on a large, circular stage of polished wood. Luigi stood in the center spotlight while the guardian was left at the edge of the stage near the moving mass of some unidentifiable thing that acted as the audience. It surrounded every edge, only blocked by the red curtains that had B-E-L-L-I-N-A spelled out on it in large, sparkling gold letters which formed a semi-circle behind the possessed plumber. The moon and stars hung above by some unseen force. Props, he supposed, to fit the rest of the scenery.  
  
To warp the very space around them was incredible. This was a spirit not to be trifled with.  
  
Down dropped two ballerinas, dressed in pink attire, landing and spinning in sync. They struck a pose, still as statues on the tips of their toes, hands touching above their heads. Luigi had joined them in their stance, wobbling slightly. The body wasn't used to such movements.  
  
"Stay on your toes, _star spirit_!" she spat, and the three began to spin.  
  
Geno eyed the strange accomplices who were fast approaching. They stood on one foot, the floor slick enough to carry them forward on pure momentum. Luigi, he noted, was starting out slow but gradually speeding up. It wouldn't be long before he surpassed the lackeys.  
  
With five feet of distance between him and them, Geno got a better look at the other dancers. They didn't seem like ghosts at all, more like animated objects with their pointed joints and blank faces. That broadened his tactics. He wasted no time and dashed across the stage. He wobbled as he did, his worn boots strangely gaining almost no friction. He was forced to do an odd sort of on-the-fly movements from hopping around to shuffling. He pulled his cape over to hide one arm, leaping around the edges of the stage as he kept an eye on his opponents' movements. He made his way over to the center and stopped.  
  
The possessed Luigi halted and Bellina laughed. "Is the floor too slick for you?" Geno's answer was a bright blue beam slamming into one of the creepy ballerinas. She lost her balance and fell into the writhing black thing of an audience.  
  
The possessing spirit looked on, Luigi having gone slack-jawed. The battle had barely started and she was already down one wide-eyed assistant.  
  
"You! You…!" As she sputtered, Geno smirked. He held his arm up close and casually blew at the gun's muzzle. He hadn't done that in such a long time and it felt good. The swelling of emotions brought forth was enough to quell any snippets of memory the act might have brought to the surface.  
  
He was in the zone. He could do this.  
  
"Good. They're solid," he said, "Just making sure."  
  
"You despicable star spirit!" Bellina roared, her voice and Luigi's together making such a terrible sound. "I'll make you pay!" One by one more ballerinas fell from above, landing by Luigi and spinning and posing just as the first two did until their number was a dozen strong. "This is _my_ domain! It forms to my whims and right now my whim… _is to destroy you_!"  
  
The ballerinas began to spin and Geno moved back, not even bothering to hide the fact that he was charging up another beam as he tried to keep his footing. He leapt across the stage, only stopping long enough to blast another impassive partner into the black mass and secure an exit to ensure he wouldn't be surrounded. With enough of them gone he could get closer to Luigi and have a chance at freeing him. If he had only taken the chance when he had it the first time, this would have been over before it started. But no, he had to be polite before resorting to violence.  
  
But that was his way of going about things, and now he had a seemingly endless horde of ballerinas to deal with. Every time he turned around after blasting a ballerina, it seemed there were another two to take its place. Space was quickly being taken up by the spinning underlings, blocking his way to Luigi who was busy cackling somewhere amidst the crowd. With little alternative, Geno stopped shooting and started forming a disc in his hand. He tossed it with deadly accuracy and formed another, only pausing to choose another target. The numbers finally began dropping as the lackeys collapsed in upper and lower halves, though he still had to constantly keep backing away to give himself ample room to maneuver.  
  
"What good is hope?" scoffed the dual voices with disdain. "The living depend on it, but what happens when they need it most? What happens when they place _everything_ in the stars because there's nothing else they can do but wait for _death_?! What does that get them, huh? Answer me!" Geno was smacked to the floor. Too occupied listening to the ghost, he hadn't seen or heard a subordinate approach from behind and the mindless dummy had struck his head with its foot. He rolled out of the way of a second ballerina, getting to his feet, slipping and rolling again to dodge a third. Two of them clashed and fell providing an escape from the enclosing horde.  
  
Taking the offensive once again, he replied loudly, wanting this spirit to hear him clearly, "I'm sorry you feel that way..." Another dancer split in two, though the legs continued moving. Was her command over these lifeless dummies changing? And where was she? "We do our best to make sure the Star Road is always functional and wishes are granted, but sometimes...the important ones don't go through." And how he wished they did. Sometimes the wishes were too late, being sent up at the last moment, or maybe there just wasn't a way of reaching the person in time. They couldn't all be filled for one reason or another. The Honorable Star Spirits had the greatest of burdens determining if, when, and how a major wish should be carried out, though sometimes there was simply nothing they could do. Perhaps they could glimpse into the grander design of things, but that would be assuming too much.  
  
A soft whisper murmured back amid the chaos, but he caught it: "And ghosts are forgotten...." This was too much. He had to end this battle now.  
  
Geno admitted, "There's a limit to what we can do. We can't help every last person on the planet, but I wish we could." One of the few wishes he ever had. "Holding a grudge won't help anybody here." He paused while ducking under the foot of another ballerina. He had lost count of how many he had cut down and was focusing on the ones that were getting up again. "You were once flesh and blood, weren't you? That's why you're comfortable in a human body. But your time is over. You have to move on, Bellina! You don't belong on the mortal plane anymore!"  
  
Snickering. It started off quietly then grew progressively louder until Geno thought he was going to go deaf. "Foolish star spirit!" Luigi rose into the air from Geno's right, back straight and eyes bright. There was a sense of danger in the intertwined voices that bellowed forth: "He came into my attic and then opened my music box. He was fair game after that and I'll do what I want in this new body!"  
  
"It doesn't matter!" Geno retorted, slicing up what remained of the ballerina multitude, "There are rules and you broke one when you took over Luigi's body."  
  
"Rules? Hee hee ha ha!" Luigi's body doubled over with laughter. "I don't follow _your_ rules, star servant. We're on different planes remember? You have no say over what I can and can't do!"  
  
"You possessed him."  
  
"Well of course I did!" Luigi pouted and his hands moved to his waist. "It's so fun toying with men." A quick, wicked smirk as his arms crossed over his chest. "You want me to release this human, but who are you to talk? You possessed something, too, you hypocrite."  
  
"That's completely different!" Geno shot back, narrowing his eyes and pointing at the floating Luigi. No longer engaged with any creepy dancers, he had his full attention focused on Bellina. "This is a toy! This doll wasn't _alive_ when I took its form! You're controlling a living human being!"  
  
"And what are you going to do about it? You can't make me leave this body unless you harm it, and I _know_ you won't." She smiled down at Geno, a condescending air about her. Geno stood proud with hands by his sides.  
  
"I'm going to do my job," he said simply, "Star spirits maintain order on the surface through wishes, and right now there are hundreds of wishes being sent out that can't be fulfilled." He crept a hand into his carrier bag, taking care to keep both hidden by his cape. "As things stand, you're right, I'm not going to harm Luigi. It's another one of those rules you don't care about." His hand touched upon a slender object. He felt around for a looped strip of material and twisted his hand through it. "But there are two things wrong with your frame of mind."  
  
"Oh?" the voices mocked.  
  
Geno grasped the Specter Expeller. "One, I can make you leave Luigi's body with no harm done to him and two," - this was it - "since you're possessing a human," he pulled out the Specter Expeller and pointed it at Luigi. B to lock on - "I have a say over what you can do!" – A to begin exorcising.  
  
Ear-splitting screeching rent the air. Luigi's body thrashed in mid-air as Bellina screamed and cursed Geno, the stars, E. Gadd, his inventions, wishes, and the world in general. In the blink of an eye Geno found himself being thrown around the stage, following Bellina's path as she fought to stay inside the body she had claimed. He hit the stars, the curtains, and the edge of the stage as the ghost zipped about trying to shake Geno. With every solid crash he took, pain would shoot through his borrowed form. Bellina apparently had never come against anyone with such determination as to not give up after being bodily slammed into the stage repeatedly, because not once did she lose Geno as her flailing and zooming did just that. He had heard something crack more than once and he was sure that, had he been human, he would have joined the ranks of the spirits roaming the mansion. He kept one eye open to keep track of Bellina's movements but that was all he could manage as pain blurred his mind.  
  
He wasn't sure exactly when the screaming and thrashing had ceased. All he knew was that one moment he was near unconsciousness and the next he was seeing Luigi lying on his side and Bellina doing the same as she groaned some feet away. Enough was enough. He pushed upright – standing was too much to ask – and reached into his bag (it was a little surprising to feel that the Specter Expeller was still strapped to his wrist), pulling out the Gaddlight. His other hand fumbling with the Poltergust's hose for a little bit before he had a solid hold on both objects. He shined the light on Bellina and activated the Poltergust.  
  
Exhausted from putting up a fight with the Specter Expeller, Bellina didn't have the energy to resist and was sucked right into the vacuum.  
  
The moment she vanished the world shifted again. Mountains of boxes appeared, a roof materialized above, and the room darkened. Bellina's eerie realm was no more. Geno smiled wearily as he took in the events of the last half hour or so. Luigi was rescued. One down, three to go.  
  
He sat there, still dizzy from too many hits to the head. A moment or three to regain his wits would probably be a good idea. As would be eating something from his restorative rations, he belatedly realized. He dug through his bag for a mushroom, finding one that had been crushed, and ate it, not questioning how or why in the world such a thing was possible in the first place.  
  
Ah, good ol' mushrooms. They were one of the few things that hadn't changed during the time he was away, and for that he was thankful. Already his head was throbbing less. He really didn't need a spike of pain every time he tried to think about his mission.  
  
Luigi groaned and sat up at last, rubbing his head and looking around. When he spotted Geno ("Hello.") his eyes widened and he scooted back into a box, feeling around behind him for something or other that wasn't there. He peered about and, seeming to find what he was looking for, scrambled over to the other side of the attic. Looking to nip this in the bud – dear _stars_ it hurt to think – Geno raised a hand, palm facing Luigi as the terrified man clutched a red vacuum to himself. Something in the back of Geno's mind registered that this was another Poltergust.  
  
"Whoa there!" he said weakly. Wow, he must've been battered worse than he first thought. "I'm a friend of your brother, Mario. I traveled with him once before to restore the Star Road. My name is hard to pronounce so I go by Geno, the name of this doll." Luigi blinked and took another look at Geno. A wooden, banged up doll, a carrier bag on one side, and a Poltergust hanging off the back. Geno shrugged and gave a small smile. As if something had occurred to the younger Mario Brother, Luigi looked up and scanned the room. He came back to Geno and asked with more than a hint of wonder,  
  
"What-a happened?" Geno silently sighed, gathering up Professor Gadd's gadgets and slowly moving his aching limbs to get back on his feet. A retelling of the night's events was going to take a while and he hadn't the energy to explain everything right then and there.  
  
"It's a long story," Geno muttered, withdrawing a mushroom from his carrier bag and holding it out to Luigi, "Come on, I'll tell you on the way back down." Luigi nodded as he accepted the healthy shroom, following Geno as he took the lead. Geno was halfway down the ladder when he noticed Luigi was crouching over the shattered pieces of a box – probably the music box. From them the plumber extracted a small key with a pink heart for a grip. It was given a once over and pocketed, a small clinking accompanying the action. More keys then, Geno idly thought as Luigi rejoined him. Together the two descended, a united force in locating those who were still lost.


End file.
